In a unanimous vote, the University of Missouri Faculty Council supported the MU Black Studies Department’s complaint against MU Chancellor and UM System President Mun Choi.
After the Legion of Black Collegians’ annual “Welcome Black BBQ” was renamed as the “Welcome Black and Gold BBQ,” the Black Studies Department wrote a letter to Choi, asking him to issue a formal apology for suggesting the use of “Black” in the event name implies exclusion, along with four other requests.
The Faculty Council’s statement endorsing the letter reads, “Rather than making the event more inclusive, the administration’s action and its explanation undermines efforts at recognizing the Black experience at MU and in supporting the pluralistic traditions from which we learn and celebrate.”
In its letter, the Black Studies Department noted declining African American student enrollment and “noticeably low” Black faculty representation.
"Creating a welcoming environment for Black students at MU is particularly critical given its long and well-known history of racial injustice against Black students,” the letter reads, then specifically referencing the race-related protests on MU’s campus in 2015 that led to the resignation of UM System President Tim Wolfe.
Carlos Wexler, Fiscal Affairs Committee member and MU professor, said he found the university’s concern of exclusion to be “questionable.”
“I think it’s inclusionary in the sense that if you are interested in the event because you are interested in the culture, you can go there,” Wexler said. “I went to many Indian nights at the University of Missouri — I went there because I was interested in that event to learn about the culture. If it was called Mizzou night, I wouldn’t go.”
The second request asked that Choi reopen dialogue about the name of the event to gather more insights from MU faculty, staff and students.
Tom Warhover, MU Faculty Council chair and professor, said there were also issues with the way the decision was made.
“While the administration contacted the Legion of Black Collegians, it didn’t involve larger stakeholder groups,” Warhover said. “The question is: a) What is the logic and how does it apply to other groups or events? b) Is there a process by which there is more transparency and more opportunity for other people to be heard?”
Warhover said the council may discuss specific procedures for similar name changes in the future but added that the council’s role is only advisory.
In its letter, the Black Studies Department also asked for the implementation of “a mechanism for consulting” with the department before any public statements on “identity matters” affecting Black students, staff, faculty and communities — along with “transparent reporting” on the implementation in the state of the university report. Finally, it requested the hiring of more faculty in the department.
A group of students gave faculty council members firsthand insights into the impact of the name change.
“It’s a discussion about our experience here on campus; we deserve to be here and be present and to be a part of that discussion, so it was no question for us — as soon as we heard about it, we were like, ‘We’re going,’” Kenny Douglas said.
Council members also read from an email Choi sent to a faculty member regarding the barbecue name change.
“The name change maintained the objective to be a welcoming event for our Black/African American students and other members of our campus community,” Choi wrote. In the email, Choi also said the decision “doesn’t reflect a broader attempt for changes because we have many circumstances that do not give this impression such as the Gaines Oldham Black Culture Center, the Department of Black Studies, etc.”
He also noted this year’s barbecue saw 850 participants, which marked a 50% increase from the year prior.
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